Dalea purpurea

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Dalea purpurea
Dalea purpurea Arkansas.jpg
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Genus: Dalea
Species:
D. purpurea
Binomial name
Dalea purpurea
Varieties [2]
  • Dalea purpurea var. arenicola (Wemple) Barneby
  • Dalea purpurea var. purpurea
Synonyms [2] [3] [4]
List
    • Dalea arenicola (Wemple) B.L.Turner (2003)
    • Dalea purpurea f. albiflora (W.H.Horr & McGregor) McGregor (1957)
    • Dalea purpurea f. arenaria (F.C.Gates) McGregor (1957)
    • Dalea violacea Michx. ex Willd. (1802)
    • Kuhnistera purpurea (Vent.) MacMill. (1892)
    • Kuhnistera violacea (Michx.) Aiton ex Steud. (1840)
    • Petalostemon arenicola Wemple (1970)
    • Petalostemon mollis Rydb. (1900)
    • Petalostemon pubescens A.Nelson (1901)
    • Petalostemon purpureus (Vent.) Rydb. (1900)
    • Petalostemon purpureus f. albiflorus W.H.Horr & McGregor (1952)
    • Petalostemon purpureus f. arenarius F.C.Gates (1911)
    • Petalostemon purpureus var. mollis (Rydb.) A.Nelson (1909)
    • Petalostemon standleyanus Rydb. (1920)
    • Petalostemon violaceus Michx. (1803)
    • Psoralea purpurea (Vent.) Poir. (1804)
    • Psoralea violacea DC. (1825)

Dalea purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known as purple prairie clover. [5] Native to central North America, purple prairie clover is a relatively common member of the Great Plains and prairie ecosystems. It blooms in the summer with dense spikes of bright purple flowers that attract many species of insects.

Contents

Distribution

It is native to central North America, where it occurs from central Canada to the southeastern and southwestern United States, except for the east and west coasts. [6] [7] [1] It is a common and widespread plant within its range, especially on the Great Plains. [8] In 1804, Meriwether Lewis collected a specimen in Nebraska. [9]

Description

Dalea purpurea is a perennial herb growing 20 to 90 cm (8 to 35 in) tall. The mature plant has a large taproot 5.5 to 6.5 feet (1.7 to 2.0 m) deep. The stem is woody with several branches. The leaves are a few centimeters long and are divided into 3 to 7 narrow leaflets. The inflorescence atop each stem branch is a spike up to 7 cm (2+34 in) long containing many purple flowers. The fruit is a legume pod containing 1 or 2 seeds. [8] The Latin specific epithet purpurea means purple. [10]

Ecology

This plant is adapted to a habitat with periodic wildfires. In some areas, it depends on fire to clear encroaching woody vegetation, as it cannot tolerate shade. [8]

Dalea purpurea is a common member of the flora on the plains of central North America, occurring in a variety of habitat types, including several types of grassland. It occurs in glades, riverbanks and floodplains, oak woodlands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, shrubsteppe, many types of forests, and the Sand Hills of Nebraska. It occurs in a variety of prairie ecosystems. On tallgrass prairie it is associated with plants such as little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), prairie Junegrass (Koeleria macrantha), prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), lead plant (Amorpha canescens), and silky aster (Symphyotrichum sericeum). On midgrass prairie it grows alongside several grasses such as silver bluestem (Bothriochloa saccharoides), purple threeawn (Aristida purpurea), sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), and sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus). On shortgrass prairie it is associated with grasses such as blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis), hairy grama (B. hirsuta), and buffalo grass (B. dactyloides). This species may be considered an indicator of pristine prairie. [8]

The nectar and pollen of Dalea purpurea attract many bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers. Several plasterer bees (genus Colletes ) are specialist pollinators of Dalea species, and other insects eat the seeds and leaves. [11] It is a larval host to the southern dogface (Zerene cesonia). [12]

Uses

This species is used for revegetation efforts on reclaimed land, such as land that has been strip mined. It is good for preventing erosion and for fixing nitrogen in soil. Though it is often found in mid- to late-successional stages of ecological succession, it may also be a pioneer species, taking hold in bare and disturbed habitat, such as roadsides. [8]

Purple prairie clover provides food for a number of animals, such as pronghorn. It also grows in cultivated fields and becomes included in hay for livestock. It is nutritious and is "considered one of the most important legumes in native grasslands on the Great Plains." It also had a number of uses for Native Americans. The leaves are edible and good for making tea and medicines, and the roots are palatable when chewed. The stems were used as brooms by the Pawnee people. [8]

Medicinal plant

Dalea purpurea has been found to contain several active constituents, including pawhuskin A, pawhuskin B, pawhuskin C, and petalostemumol. [13] [14] [15] The pawhuskins possess affinity for the opioid receptors, and pawhuskin A, by far the most potent of the group, acts as a non-selective antagonist of all three opioid receptors, with preference for the κ- and μ-opioid receptors over the δ-opioid receptor. [13] [15]

Related Research Articles

<i>Bouteloua curtipendula</i> Species of flowering plant

Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grama, is a perennial, short prairie grass that is native throughout the temperate and tropical Western Hemisphere, from Canada south to Argentina.

<i>Bouteloua gracilis</i> Species of grass

Bouteloua gracilis, the blue grama, is a long-lived, warm-season (C4) perennial grass, native to North America.

<i>Sporobolus heterolepis</i> Species of flowering plant

Sporobolus heterolepis, commonly known as prairie dropseed, is a species of prairie grass native to the tallgrass and mixed grass prairies of central North America from Texas to southern Canada. It is also found further east, to the Atlantic coast of the United States and Canada, but is much less common beyond the Great Plains and is restricted to specialized habitats. It is found in 27 states and four Canadian provinces.

<i>Dalea searlsiae</i> Species of legume

Dalea searlsiae, commonly known as Searls' prairie clover, is a perennial legume species belonging to the Dalea genus. The species is found through arid regions of the southwestern United States and can survive in low moisture conditions. The species forms symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that can improve soil nutrient levels. Its large inflorescence attracts many species of pollinators, and it lacks toxins found in similar legume species. As a result, the species has been considered for use in rangeland restoration and revegetation projects.

<i>Dalea</i> Genus of legumes

Dalea is a genus of flowering plants in the legume family, Fabaceae. Members of the genus are commonly known as prairie clover or indigo bush. Its name honors English apothecary Samuel Dale (1659–1739). They are native to the Western hemisphere, where they are distributed from Canada to Argentina. Nearly half of the known species are endemic to Mexico. Two species of Dalea have been considered for rangeland restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tussock grass</span> Species of grass

Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family Poaceae. They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn, in meadows, grasslands, and prairies. As perennial plants, most species live more than one season. Tussock grasses are often found as forage in pastures and ornamental grasses in gardens.

The North America Prairies is a large grassland floristic province within the North American Atlantic Region, a floristic region within the Holarctic Kingdom. It lies between the Appalachian Province and the Rocky Mountains and includes the prairies of the Great Plains. It is bounded by the Canadian coniferous forests on the north and the arid semideserts to the southwest. The province itself is occupied by temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands. Endemism is rather limited in this province, and its boundaries are vague. During the Pleistocene much of the province was glaciated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harrell Prairie Botanical Area</span>

Harrell Prairie Botanical Area or Harrell Prairie Hill is a 160-acre (65 ha) tallgrass prairie nature preserve located within Bienville National Forest near Forest, Mississippi. It is a rare remaining example of the Jackson Prairie Belt in Mississippi. It was declared a National Natural Landmark in May 1976 and a Botanical Area by the Forest Service in 1980.

<i>Dalea foliosa</i> Species of plant

Dalea foliosa, commonly called leafy prairie clover, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family (Fabaceae). It is an endangered species in the United States, where it occurs in three states: Illinois, Tennessee, and Alabama.

<i>Sporobolus vaginiflorus</i> Species of flowering plant

Sporobolus vaginiflorus is a species of grass known by the common names poverty grass, poverty dropseed, and sheathed dropseed.

<i>Dalea candida</i> Species of flowering plant in the pea family

Dalea candida is a species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name white prairie clover. It is native to North America, where it can be found throughout central Canada, the central United States, and northern Mexico. It can sometimes be found outside its range as an introduced species. It grows in many types of habitat, including several types of prairie, foothills, woods, forests, and disturbed areas.

<i>Hoffmannseggia tenella</i> Species of legume

Hoffmannseggia tenella is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common name slender rushpea. It is endemic to Texas, where it is known from only two counties. It persists in small remnants of its gulf coastal prairie habitat. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States.

<i>Lespedeza leptostachya</i> Species of plant

Lespedeza leptostachya is a rare species of flowering plant in the legume family known by the common names prairie lespedeza and prairie bush-clover. It occurs in the Upper Midwest region of the United States. The flowers are creamy-white to purplish and arranged into a narrow terminal spikes.

<i>Carex inops</i> Species of grass-like plant

Carex inops is a species of sedge known as long-stolon sedge and western oak sedge. It is native to northern North America, where it occurs throughout the southern half of Canada and the western and central United States.

<i>Hilaria mutica</i> Grass species

Hilaria mutica, synonym Pleuraphis mutica, is a species of grass known by the common name tobosa, or tobosa grass. It is native to Northern Mexico, and the Southwestern United States, in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pawhuskin A</span> Chemical compound

Pawhuskin A is a naturally occurring prenylated stilbene isolated from Dalea purpurea which acts as a competitive silent antagonist of the κ-, μ-, and δ-opioid receptors. The compound was named after Pawhuska, Oklahoma, a place near where the samples of Dalea purpurea that led to its discovery were taken from. Other isolates of the plant with affinity for opioid receptors include Pawhuskin B and Pawhuskin C, though these compounds produce comparatively weak opioid receptor displacement relative to Pawhuskin A. Dalea purpurea was used in traditional Native American medicine to treat various ailments, and pawhuskin A and related isolates may be some of the constituents of the plant which underlay this use.

<i>Dalea aurea</i> Species of flowering plant in the pea family

Dalea aurea, commonly called golden prairie clover, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family (Fabaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found in the Great Plains and southwestern United States, and in the state of Coahuila, Mexico. Its natural habitat is in silty or gravelly prairies, often over limestone.

<i>Dalea multiflora</i> Species of flowering plant in the pea family

Dalea multiflora, commonly called roundhead prairie clover, is a species of flowering plant in the legume family (Fabaceae). It is native to North America, where it is found in Mexico and the United States. In the U.S., it is primarily found in the Great Plains and South Central regions. Its natural habitat is in dry rocky prairies, particularly in limestone soils. It is a conservative species and can be indicative of undisturbed prairie communities.

References

  1. 1 2 NatureServe (2024). "Dalea purpurea". Arlington, Virginia. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Dalea purpurea Vent". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. "Dalea purpurea var. arenicola (Wemple) Barneby". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  4. "Dalea purpurea var. purpurea". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  5. Dalea purpurea at NatureServe.org Archived 2014-02-16 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 11-25-2011.
  6. "Dalea purpurea". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 2011-11-14.
  7. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Dalea purpurea". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 League, Kevin R. (2004). "Dalea purpurea". Fire Effects Information System (FEIS). US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Forest Service (USFS), Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. Retrieved 2011-11-14.
  9. Schiemann, Donald Anthony (2005). Wildflowers of Montana. Missoula: Mountain Press. p. 180.
  10. "Dalea purpurea - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  11. Hilty, John (2020). "Purple Prairie Clover". Illinois Wildflowers. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  12. The Xerces Society (2016). Gardening for Butterflies: How You Can Attract and Protect Beautiful, Beneficial Insects. Timber Press. ISBN   978-1604695984.
  13. 1 2 Belofsky G; French AN; Wallace DR; Dodson SL (January 2004). "New geranyl stilbenes from Dalea purpurea with in vitro opioid receptor affinity". J. Nat. Prod. 67 (1): 26–30. doi:10.1021/np030258d. PMID   14738380.
  14. Neighbors JD; Buller MJ; Boss KD; Wiemer DF (November 2008). "A concise synthesis of pawhuskin A". J. Nat. Prod. 71 (11): 1949–52. doi:10.1021/np800351c. PMC   6679901 . PMID   18922035.
  15. 1 2 Hartung AM; Beutler JA; Navarro HA; Wiemer DF; Neighbors JD (February 2014). "Stilbenes as κ-selective, non-nitrogenous opioid receptor antagonists". J. Nat. Prod. 77 (2): 311–9. doi:10.1021/np4009046. PMC   3993902 . PMID   24456556.